The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

A children’s picture book that celebrates the joys of Thanksgiving.

This modest yet charming book presents a poem to remind children of the many things for which they may be grateful, with a special focus on family, friends and nature. The text includes gentle, flowing rhymes (“What do I have to be thankful for?…for days when it snows, for ankles and elbows and fingers and toes.”). A variety of hand-drawn pictures depict children playing, animals in their natural surroundings, and other everyday objects, such as houses, clocks and views from windows. The poem also reminds readers to be grateful for their own selves, whether they “be thin or be fat…be short or be tall.” The book’s audience may be slightly limited, given its references to Christmas and Easter and no other religious holidays, but it seems largely designed to reach a wide audience. That said, it’s definitely a once-a-year holiday book, and it may not hold the attention of younger readers as it lacks a specific storyline or any defining characters. The pictures are fine but not especially notable; natural scenes are soft and evocative, but people are portrayed as rather stiff. Some of the book’s language and images seem a bit anachronistic and may not appeal to all children, as when readers are reminded to be thankful for “bison and elephant herds.” Overall, however, the book is enjoyable, as it reads quickly and delivers a strong message of thanks. The authors’ intentions are clearly admirable, and parents and children will likely appreciate the time they spend reading it together.

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